Planning commission clears variances for quick‑serve seafood market at 743 East Market Street

The York City Planning Commission voted to allow a quick‑serve eating establishment at 743 East Market Street and to grant a variance from the off‑street parking requirement for the property.

Staff introduced the case and said the property is in the UN‑1 urban mixed residential‑commercial district. Staff told the commission it recommended denial of the variance to permit the commercial eating‑establishment use but, separately, recommended approval of a variance to reduce the off‑street parking requirement because the property is landlocked and cannot provide the number of spaces the ordinance requires.

The applicant was introduced by staff as Miguel Mendoza; the man who addressed the commission identified himself as Jim Mendoza and said he is the owner of Valhalla Entertainment, LLC, and that he planned “to open a fish and meat market store” where customers could buy seafood to take home or have it prepared on site. “We wanna open a fish and meat market store,” Mendoza said. “They could take it home too.”

An unnamed commissioner moved to approve the use variance; the motion passed on a roll call vote with recorded ‘Aye’ votes from Commissioners Velez, Davis, Wolfe, Gaines and Moore (5–0). The commission then approved a separate motion granting relief from the off‑street parking requirement for the site, again on a unanimous recorded vote of the commissioners present.

The matter will next appear before the zoning hearing board on Thursday; staff noted that if the applicant appears there the board may approve or deny the requested zoning relief.

Authorities cited by staff were local zoning ordinance provisions (sections cited in the record by planning staff). The commission’s official packet lists the property as 743 East Market Street and the applicant as Valhalla Entertainment, LLC.